The present invention relates to cigarettes which produce smoke which contains no more than a minimal amount of incomplete combustion or pyrolysis products.
In recent years, the taste in cigarette products in certain areas of the world has been changing toward lighter and lighter cigarettes, i.e., cigarettes which produce less "tar" when smoked. "Tar" in such cigarettes has consisted in large part of tobacco pyrolysis or decomposition products. Prior to the present invention, it has generally been considered necessary to deliver such tobacco pyrolysis products to the smoker, in order for the smoker to enjoy the taste and satisfaction of cigarette smoke.
In order to produce the "lighter" smoke called for by smokers in recent years, a variety of technical changes have been made to cigarettes. Filtration has been employed to reduce the delivery of "tar" or certain components thereof, e.g., to screen out certain components which affect the flavor or quality of the smoke. Air dilution has been employed to dilute and "lighten" the smoke. Reconstituted and expanded tobaccos have been used, and flavorants have been added to the tobacco, to the filters, or elsewhere, in order to enhance the flavor of the "light" smoke thus produced.